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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24331543">Choosing Destiny</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/AestheticallyTiredTM/pseuds/AestheticallyTiredTM'>AestheticallyTiredTM</a>, <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilnome/pseuds/lilnome'>lilnome</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Ever After High, Twisted-Wonderland (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Apple White Salt, Crossover, Gen, insecure Raven Queen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 06:15:40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>10,279</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24331543</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/AestheticallyTiredTM/pseuds/AestheticallyTiredTM, https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilnome/pseuds/lilnome</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>When Raven Queen is sucked by magic gone wrong into a dimension that has been sealed for decades, how will she get home? Will she even want to?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>98</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>200</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Down the Rabbit Hole</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Rook had been relaxing in a grove when he heard a rustling in the woods. His eyes snapped to the side when a branch snapped just beyond the tree line. Slowly, he stood, preparing to fight if necessary. Then, stumbling, no, <em>limping</em>, out of the woods, came a girl. Her skin was deathly pale, and her t-shirt and sleep pants were shredded in some places. Her left ankle was swollen and bruised, and she whimpered every time she put her weight on it. The girl’s eyes lit with hope and desperation when she saw him, and she froze, lifting her hands in the universal gesture of surrender.</p><p>“Please, I don’t know where I am, or what I’m doing here, or how I got here. I just need a doctor, I hurt my ankle at one point, running from a pack of wolves. I hid in a tree for a few hours, but I’m really lost and scared and I don’t know what to <em>do</em>.” Her voice was rising and her eyes starting to water.</p><p>“You can come here, Mademoiselle. I won’t hurt you. Come, there should be a doctor at the school.” He slowly walked towards her, keeping his hands up to show he was no threat. Still, the girl remained wary, her shoulders tense. He took her hand in his, and slipped an arm around her shoulder. She sagged into him, and he could feel how weak she was. Slowly, they made their way towards the main building. Almost halfway there, the girl let out a gentle yelp and collapsed, clinging tight to his arm in an attempt to stay upright. Thinking fast, he squatted and swept his free arm under her legs before standing. After taking a moment to adjust his hold on her, he continued up the path, moving slowly to not jostle the poor girl. How had she gotten lost in the woods? There wasn’t anything but trees for miles around.</p><p>They had just entered the main building when the girl spoke.</p><p>“My name is Raven. I really can’t thank you enough for helping me.” Her voice was lovely to hear, slightly raspy and sweet like a candy apple.</p><p>“There is no need to thank me, it’s what anyone would do. My name is Rook Hunt. We’re almost to the nurse’s office. How did you get lost in the woods? There’s nothing around for miles.” There were no students in the hallways, as it was technically time for classes. He had a free period, so he wouldn’t get in any trouble. Gently tapping his boots against the door to the nurse’s office, he waited for the school nurse, Nurse Isla, to open the door.</p><p>“Mister Rook? Who is this young lady?” The frail looking woman asked. She stepped back, making room for Rook to carry Raven over to a cot and set her down.</p><p>“My name is Raven, ma’am. I got lost in the woods. Where am I?” Isla and Rook shared a look. Everyone in Twisted Wonderland knew what NCR was.</p><p>“Well, you’re at Night Raven College, of course.” Raven’s brow furrowed.</p><p>“I have no idea where that is. Are we still in the White kingdom, or anywhere near Ever After High?” Something like realization dawned on Nurse Isla’s face.</p><p>“Mister Hunt, you need to go fetch the Headmaster.”</p><p>“What? Why? Is something wrong?” There was a note of panic in Raven’s voice.</p><p>“Nothing dangerous dear, now let’s see what we can do for that ankle of yours.” Rook waited no longer, and left for the head office.</p><p>X0X0X</p><p>Today had started well, considering that it was just three days since the disaster that was Legacy Day. Maddie was sick with some Wonderland virus, and had been in the school infirmary for a day and a half, leaving Raven alone. Most of the other Rebels had been supportive, but she wasn’t close with any of them. She had taken to hiding in the woods between classes, just to avoid the hateful words and glares of the Royals. Everything had gone wrong when she had tried practicing her magic. She centered herself, and slowly took deep breaths. She had just been trying a simple teleportation spell to take her back to her room when a twig snapped and she lost control. The next thing she knows, the woods look different, and she hears the baying of hungry wolves.</p><p>“Ah!” She snapped out of her remembrance when the nurse pressed on her ankle.</p><p>“Sorry, dear, but I need to check if anything is broken.” The nurse continued to poke and prod the throbbing area. After five minutes, the nurse spoke again. “Not broken, but seriously sprained. I’ll need you to drink a potion, and it should heal in a few minutes. For now, just stay here.” The nurse bustled away, rifling through a cabinet for a few moments. The door swung open, revealing a man in what looked like a plague mask. This must be the headmaster, she realized.</p><p>“Hello, young lady. I am Headmaster Crowley; might I know your name?”</p><p>“I’m Raven Queen, sir.” She greeted.<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>XOXOX</p><p>Crowley watched as the girl seemed to shrink as she introduced herself. Odd, she was a rather pretty girl, but she seemed scared to death of him.</p><p>“Queen? That’s a rather unusual last name.” Nurse Isla commented as she came back over, carrying a potion vial.</p><p>“It’s from my mother’s side.” Raven murmured, looking ashamed. “Next Evil Queen and all that…” Crowley sucked in a deep breath. Between her references to Ever After High and what she just said, this girl was a descendant of the Beautiful Queen, one of the seven founders.</p><p>“Drink up, Miss Queen.” Nurse Isla said, handing Raven a small vial. Raven wrinkled her nose and drank the potion like a shot, gagging on the foul taste. He winced in sympathy. Nurse Isla’s potions were terrible tasting, but they worked wonders.</p><p>“Miss Queen, if you would come with me, we can get you sorted out.” Raven nodded and swung her legs over the edge of the cot, testing her weight on her ankle as she slowly stood. With her arm wrapped around herself, the girl slowly padded after him down the hall. Classes were still in session, which was probably for the best, since Raven looked ready to jump out of her skin at the slightest hint of danger.</p><p>“Um, Sir, where am I? The nurse said something about a college?”</p><p>“This is Night Raven College; an elite boy’s school founded several hundred years ago by seven powerful people. I believe you are descended from one such person, the one we call the Beautiful Queen. However, I need to test this belief, before we decide what to do with you.”</p><p>“Really? But, why would you call her that? She was second fairest, that’s just…how the story always goes.” Raven asked, seeming to hesitate.</p><p>“Though Snow White was deemed fairer than the Queen, Snow’s beauty and kindness were a façade, hiding just as much vanity and cruelty as the so-called ‘Evil Queen’. Honestly, such a mean thing to call someone.” He sniffed. Miss Queen was looking at him like he was quite mad. They arrived at his office, and he pushed the door open, revealing the floating mirror. He heard Miss Queen suck in a deep breath.</p><p>“Is that…the first magic mirror? It went missing almost five hundred years ago!” She slowly walked forward, reaching out one hand towards the glowing mirror. Right before she set her hand against the gilded frame, the mirror lit up, making her recoil in shock.</p><p>“Who goes there?” It boomed, an eerily under-lit face appearing in the perfectly smooth glass. “You!” The face boomed. “You are of the blood of Queens! You are not to be here! Has the fool Grim truly let one slip from his grasp after so long?”</p><p>“If Headmaster Grimm knew where I was, he would have taken me back to Ever After High by now. He’s very strict on the whole ‘destiny-or-poof’ thing…” Raven seemed disgruntled. “So, what exactly <em>is </em>this place? Everyone keeps calling it a college, but what kind of college has the First Mirror?” Hmm. Miss Queen seemed to be rather bright.</p><p>“Well, simply put, Night Raven College is a prestigious boy’s high school for those with the potential to become a truly powerful magic user. We were founded almost five hundred years ago by seven powerful beings, each of whom has a house for their favored students. Your ancestor founded Pomefiore on her heavy efforts.” Crowley paused as an <em>idea</em> came to mind. “Say, Miss Queen, I have a most brilliant idea! Why do we not enroll you as a student?”</p><p>“What?” The girl spluttered. “I thought you said this was a boy’s school?”</p><p>“Only by tradition. There’s no official school rule or policy that says no girls can attend. Now, to begin, simply place your hand flat against the mirror. From there, the magic of the mirror will sort you into the proper house. I highly doubt you’ll be placed anywhere but Pomefiore, but formalities must be observed!”</p><p>X0X0X</p><p>Raven, feeling rather steamrolled, did as she was told, pressing her palm flat against the cool glass. She shuddered at the slight tingle that raced up her arm and down her spine from the overwhelming magic in the mirror. The image of a poison dipped apple appeared in the mirror, with the poison taking the shape of a skull.</p><p>“Just as I expected then! Now all you need is a uniform!”</p><p>“I can handle that aspect, my mother, despite being in the mirror prison, taught me whatever interested me magic wise. I wanted to be a fashion designer when I was a little girl…” Her voice trailed off, melancholy, as magic washed over her. “I can base it off the uniform I saw Rook in earlier.” Raven’s hair tumbled down her back, dark and smooth, missing the usual purple streaks, and reaching the small of her back. She wore a peasant collared, knee length black dress with sleeves reaching just beyond her elbows. Underneath were fishnet knee highs, and fingerless gloves of the same material. Around her waist was a lavender knot belt that matched the headband that materialized on her head, and the new shoes that appeared on her feet.</p><p>“Most impressive, Miss Queen!” Headmaster Crowley cheered. And it really was. In a swirl of lavender and lilac magic, her clothing had been completely transfigured from decidedly disheveled and torn pajamas to a fully functional, seemingly stable outfit.</p><p>“Ah, it’s nothing. I haven’t done it in a while, since I was maybe thirteen, I suppose. I just…lost interest.” She shrugged, seeming to shrink under his praise. There was a knock at the door, and Grim clapped his hands.</p><p>X0X0X</p><p>“Ah, there’s your new dormmate. Come in, Mister Felmier!” He called towards the door. It swung open to reveal a rather short boy with purple hair, who was almost as pale as she was.</p><p>“You called for me, headmaster?” The boy asked, seeming to be scared of his own shadow.</p><p>“Indeed! I’d like you to meet Miss Raven Queen! She’s just been sorted into Pomefiore, I was hoping you could show her to the dorms, as I have some business to deal with concerning her enrollment. Miss Queen, I leave you in capable hands!” And with that, the headmaster was gone. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Home, Bittersweet Home</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>*rising from the grave*<br/>I LIVE!<br/>Sorry it's been almost a month, I had technical difficulties!<br/>A huge shoutout to AestheticallyTiredTM for betaing this for me! They really are such a huge help!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Um, hi” Raven said, “My name is Raven um- Queen, it’s nice to meet you.” holding out her hand.  </span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“My name is Epel, oh- Felmier, it’s nice to meet you too,” He shook her hand “Sorry if I’m awkward, this would normally be Vil’s job. He’s our dorm leader.”  </span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah, I understand. I’m pretty awkward myself. So, any tips on how to survive here at Night’s Raven? I’m pretty new around here”  </span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Well um- always avoid Azul. He’s the dorm head of Octavinelle, he loves to make these “deals” with people,” The boy spoke, leading Raven down the halls, “Oh, Also! steer clear of Riddle, he’s the dorm leader of Heartslaybul. There, the students have to follow a bunch of made up rules and if you don’t, Riddle gets </span>
  <em>
    <span>mad!</span>
  </em>
  <span>” and through twisting corridors, passing a cafe of sorts. They reached the dormitory, tall brick walls surrounded by thin pathways and evergreen trees. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“This is the Pomefiore dorms. You and I are going to be on the top floor, since we’re first years. We share the two bathrooms with every other first year” Raising his hand, he swiped a key card against the keypad, opening the door “The bathroom cleaning is handled by students, but magic is used, so we don’t have to scrub anything, </span>
  <em>
    <span>lazy pricks</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” </span>
  <span></span><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Raven didn’t seem to hear Epel’s afterthought; her attention was on the lavish lounge they walked into, polished chandeliers hung from the ceiling, white rugs with floral embroidery. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The chairs and tables filled to the brim with boys scattered about, studying, playing, talking, strangling each other </span>
  <em>
    <span>wait what-</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>There </span>
  </em>
  <span>you are Epel! Today is your day to help repair the- who is this?” A boy with long icy blonde hair had come storming over, beginning to berate Epel before he noticed her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He had </span>
  <em>
    <span>flawless</span>
  </em>
  <span> eyeliner. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hello! I’m- Raven Queen. It’s nice to meet you!” The boy stopped and stared at her for a moment. “I was placed here in Pomefiore, the mirror thingy said that it was because I was the Evil Queen’s daughter” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Deep apologies, did you just say, ‘Evil Queen’s daughter’?” He asked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Er, yup.” Raven awkwardly rubbed her neck, heat crawling. “Apparently you guys call her the ‘beautiful queen’ here? Sorry, I’m new to Twisted Wonderland, I’m from Ever After” looking over her shoulder, she could see the students staring at her. The boy stood, gaping at her before being interrupted by Rook Hunt, who had bounded to them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Mademoiselle! It’s wonderful to see you again! How is your ankle?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m fine now, thanks for asking. I’m actually gonna be a new student, I start classes tomorrow... I think so anyway. The headmaster didn’t make it clear, he’s strange. Not as bad as Giles, but still pretty hard to understand.” Raven giggled, and the three boys couldn’t help but blush, she sounded like bells. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Come on now, there should be an empty dorm on our floor.” Epel said, gently grabbing Raven’s hand, tugging her towards the staircase. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Tch! Fool.” Vil scoffed. “This girl is the descendant of </span>
  <em>
    <span>the</span>
  </em>
  <span> Beautiful Queen; she can </span>
  <em>
    <span>not </span>
  </em>
  <span>just stay in a common dorm!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That is true, but where else should she stay, Vil? Pomefiore is quite packed.” Rook pointed out. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“There are </span>
  <em>
    <span>two</span>
  </em>
  <span> rooms for dorm leaders, I use the second as a staging room for my photos, Miss Raven-” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Just Raven is fine” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“can stay there, I would never put the daughter of the Beautiful Queen in some commoners dorm!” Epel swallowed a scowl.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“If you could follow me, Princess, I can show you where you shall be staying” He turned on his heel at the other boys, he clapped getting everyone’s attention “Louis, Benard, Trachov-” they snapped off their seats and quickly came to Vil’s side. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“-Rook and Epel, you all will help move my equipment.” Raven was frozen for a moment, as the three boys from the lounge stood before her and bowed. Her greetings evaporated in her mouth. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It is a delight to be in your presence” The first boy said.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s nice to meet you too.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sorry to be blunt, but you’re beautiful.” The second smiled in a charming way. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh! Uh- thank you.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s an honour to have you in our dorm.” The third boy pressed a kiss to the back of her hand. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s great to be here.” Raven quickly nodded back before following the group of boys up the stairs. She shied away from the curious stares of the other boys in the common room, how they had all perked when Vil had snapped at Epel, hungry for drama.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The room was much larger than expected, with a giant four-poster bed in the centre left, while the far wall held a desk, a massive vanity, and a small dresser. On the right was a walk-in closet, and what looked like a private bathroom. Next to the door was a large marble fireplace, with a loveseat in front of it. It was a room that screamed </span>
  <em>
    <span>‘Vil was here!’.</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Scattered around the room was photography equipment and make-up brushes, and many, </span>
  <em>
    <span>many</span>
  </em>
  <span> make-up palettes. Raven gasped a bit, in awe of the view through the windows. She could see over the woods for miles, all the way to the horizon.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I apologize if it isn’t up to your standards, Princess Queen.” Vil spoke, bowing low at the waist </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Please, just, call me Raven. Where I’m from I’m not exactly considered noble.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Raven laughed a little at the self-deprecating joke, leaving the boys stunned. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Still, you are a direct descendant of the Beautiful Queen! You ought to be admired, revered even!” Vil was walking around, tidying up the room as he went, piling make-up palettes and brushes and styling tools into Rook’s arms who quickly shoved it to one of the other boys. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Tell that to the kids at Ever After.” Raven scoffed, sitting on the edge of the bed, it was comfy, too much lace though. “So, what do you guys do for fun around here? Is there, like, a village square or a mall or something?”  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Could you sit up Miss Raven?” The first boy from earlier said.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We’re trying to remove the sheets.” The second explained. Raven turned to the two students. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh really, no it’s fine!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I asked them to,” Vil responded, noticing her dislike for lace. “continue as you were, please” he muttered something to the boy next to him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So anyways... if I was at home, I would be getting ready for Thronecoming, decorating my float for the parade, getting my dress tailored for the party Briar would be throwing…I really hope Maddie is okay.” she said, sitting back down on the newly changed covers. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Pri- Raven, what’s a ‘Thronecoming’?” Epel asked, placing a light outside for someone else. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thronecoming is a huge parade held every year a week after Legacy Day. Each student gets to decorate a float for a parade, and that night we have a huge party. It’s the kick-off of the school year.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And ‘Legacy Day’?” Rook asked, still holding a teetering pile of beauty supplies, as the third boy struggled with the same task. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s…complicated.” Raven sighed, flopping back onto the bed. “See, Ever After High is a school hex-clusively for the children of fairy tale beings, from prince charmings to wicked witches.” Everyone in the room was now listening, a few passer-by's stopping to investigate. “Every student, in their second year, signs what we call ‘The Storybook of Legends’. Once you sign, you’re magically fated to follow the path of your ancestors in life, be it eating a poison apple or sleeping a hundred years” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘how dreadful’</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘eating a poisoned apple doesn’t sound bad, I’ve had quite a few’</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Louis, mind sharing your thoughts? You look distracted” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh no, not at all. Deepest apologies for my offence, Princess” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Really- it’s fine,” Raven sighed, </span>
  <em>
    <span>I'm never gonna get used to this “Princess” spiel.</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“My mother’s line is that of the Evil Queen from Snow White’s tale. A lot of people think that since it’s my </span>
  <em>
    <span>supposed</span>
  </em>
  <span> to be my destiny to poison my best friend and marry </span>
  <em>
    <span>this- guy! He's so- old</span>
  </em>
  <span>. But…I didn’t sign. The complicated part is, the Headmaster of Ever After High, Headmaster Grimm, told me that if I didn’t sign the book, everyone involved in the Snow White story would disappear from existence.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She stood up, furious. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And, well, I obviously didn’t!” Raven puffed out her cheeks, before hissing out air like a leaking tire. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s…a lot to put on a sixteen-year-old.” Epel muttered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Fourteen.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What was that, Raven?” Rook asked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m fourteen. My birthday was a few days before school started. I was castle-schooled for most of my life, so I got to skip two grades. All the make-up and heels </span>
  <em>
    <span>makes</span>
  </em>
  <span> me look older.” Rook shot Epel a bewildered look. This girl was fourteen, and had almost been married to a man in his- what? </span>
  <em>
    <span>fifties</span>
  </em>
  <span>? That was…</span>
  <em>
    <span>repulsive</span>
  </em>
  <span>! </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, you’re safe here with us, Raven!” Rook chirped, everyone followed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You can expect nothing less from us!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Trachov, the boxes.” Vil snapped. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Apologies, Vil.” So, </span>
  <em>
    <span>he</span>
  </em>
  <span> was Trachov, the last one is Benard then.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Indeed. One so lovely as you are, deserves only gold! After all, beauty holds power.” Vil sniffed, checking his eye makeup in the vanity (it was flawless, as always). </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thanks, but I’m really nothing special” Raven blustered, cheeks painted red. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Nonsense!” Vil snapped. “You have a fair complexion, a flawless facial structure, full lips that look to be naturally red, unique coloured, large eyes, and you’re petite enough to be considered cute.” Raven looked at the other students, they seemed to agree “Add all that together and you truly look like a doll, Raven dear. Now, we need to introduce you to the rest of Pomefiore, and let them ask their questions so that they keep their hands off you tomorrow, you would not want them intruding in your studies”. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Benard- she thinks that’s right-  arrived back in the room with a plate of cookies, he handed them over to Vil before leaning against the wall with Louis and Trachov. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Remember to restrain yourself, usually I only allow confection sparingly but, I can make an exception for you” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Raven nodded and munched into them, it was simple but very tasty. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, Benard- Oh they left” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Vil asked them to get the Pomefiore students,” Raven jumped at the presence of Epel next to her, then she noticed him eyeing her plate of cookies. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You can have them.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Really?!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Epel, the noise” Epel turned to Rook with a look, accepting Raven’s plate. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And just so you know, Benard’s his last name, same with the other two” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Just when it seemed to get quiet, Raven saw the three who left sprint past the door screaming all sorts of profanity and laughing their lungs out. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Quiet down out there!” Vil snatched up his jacket and chased after the boys. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Then, it dawned on Raven. </span>
  <em>
    <span>they treated her differently</span>
  </em>
  <span>, was going to be Ever After High all over again? small tears pricked at the corners of her eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh mademoiselle,” Rook saddled to her side, cupping her cheeks, “There is no need for tears.” Epel sat down by her side. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Pomefiore can sometimes be hectic, so don’t worry.” The shorter boy reassured her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No, it’s not that. It’s just-” She sniffled a little, trying to stay calm. “I just want to be normal, treated normally.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“If that is what you want,” They gasped, Vil was already back. “then tell them. You are a part of us too” He joined Raven, Epel moving out of the way, “You have what it takes, and you will do what it takes” They stood up, Raven’s eyes glinted. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why else are you here?” a small hug, among the four of them. </span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Rook, Epel, go down with everyone else. I need to touch up Raven’s makeup. Your mascara is smeared, dear.” Rook and Epel left, and Vil guided Raven to sit in front of the vanity. From his pockets he withdrew a small pack of makeup wipes and gently stripped off her old mascara, before having her close her eyes and applying a new coat. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“There we are. Now, if you’ll follow me, Raven. Our audience awaits!” Vil clapped with a dramatic flourish, and Raven couldn’t help but giggle. Maybe being stuck here wouldn’t be so bad after all… in fact, it was going to be </span>
  <em>
    <span>great</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. See and Hear the Melody of Love</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Raven followed Vil down the halls of the dorms, trying to ignore the stares of those around her. There were dozens of boys lining the halls, peaking out of various rooms, staring at her and whispering to each other. There must have been at least a hundred of them, all staring at her like she was…interesting. This was so weird. Less than four hours ago, she had been the most hated person at school, now she was the interesting new girl.</p><p>“Raven, dear, are you okay? You look rather stunned.” Vil asked, setting a hand on her shoulder.</p><p>“I’m fine! Just a little overwhelmed.” She answered, rubbing the back of her neck. “I’m only ever the center of attention when it’s bad.”</p><p>“That’s nonsense, mademoiselle. Here, you’ll be treated far better than that.” Rook smiled, ruffling her hair a little, making her giggle.</p><p>“Rook! Her hair was perfect!” Vil snapped, hands flying to fix Raven’s hair. Raven suddenly froze, grabbing a random lock of hair and pulling it in front of her face, before groaning.</p><p>“My magic wore off!” She huffed, letting the hair fall.</p><p>“What do you mean?” Epel asked.</p><p>“I usually use magic to keep a small glamour over my hair, adding in purple streaks. It makes me look more like my mom. Without it, I get confused for a Royal.”</p><p>“But…you <em>are </em>royalty.” Epel pointed out.</p><p>“Not Royal<em>ty, </em>a Royal. Ever After was divided by civil war for a few years when I was young. The first faction was the Royals, typically Princesses and Prince Charmings, or those who got happy endings. They were led by Snow White and her husband, James Charming. Then, there were the Rebels, monsters, beasts, witches, and other villainous beings. They, well, they were led by my Mom. As is, I don’t look much like previous Evil Queens, I look more like a Royal, even a Princess Charming if you push. Hence the heels, and the glamour and makeup.” Vil hummed to confirm he was listening around a mouthful of bobby pins as he quickly braided her hair back.</p><p>“So, wait, your mom led a civil war?” Rook asked. “What was she fighting for?”</p><p>“Huh? I…I don’t know. After the Rebels lost, my Mom was locked away for good, and everyone was forbidden from even mentioning the war. We don’t even learn about it in school much. It’s seriously taboo to talk about it. My visits with Mom were all heavily monitored so that I wouldn’t accidentally let her out of the mirror dimension, so I never got to ask about it. She just said that she hoped I would follow in her footsteps.” Fiddling with the end of her braid once Vil was done, Raven frowned a bit. It had always bothered her, never knowing <em>why</em> her mother was serving a life sentence.</p><p>“Well, now is not the time for such heavy matters. We have an audience waiting on you, and Headmaster Crowley has called a meeting for all Dorm Leaders tomorrow morning, and has requested your attendance.”</p><p>“Okay. Um, before we begin, how many people are going to be asking me questions?” She asked, biting her lip.</p><p>“Oh, only about one hundred eighty!” Vil cheered, steering her by the shoulder into the main room from earlier. Raven gulped. This was <em>so </em>not what she had planned for today!</p><p>X0X0X</p><p>Raven had been seated in a plush plum-colored armchair in the center of the room, opposite the fireplace. Everyone was gathered around her, making her feel painfully claustrophobic.</p><p>“So, where are you from, Princess?” One voice asked from the back of the crowd.</p><p>“Well, my Dad rules the Good Kingdom, so I grew up in the palace. It’s technically split in half between Mom and Dad. I was raised mainly by servants, since Dad wasn’t too happy with his destiny, and Mom was locked away. I learned a lot of valuable skills though. I can cook, clean up after myself, I can balance a budget, and my Nanny taught me to play guitar and a few other instruments.”</p><p>“Could you play for us, Princess?” One of the boys near the front asked.</p><p>“An excellent idea!” Rook cheered.</p><p>“I…I guess? I should be able to summon my guitar if you’ll all give me a minute.” Raven stammered, cheeks and ears stained red with blush.</p><p>“Only if you don’t mind, mademoiselle,” Rook assured her, setting a hand on her shoulder.</p><p>“Not at all, I don’t get to play much, so this will be nice!” Raven patted his hand, before closing her eyes. What Raven did not see, however, was the vivid purple aura surrounding her as she murmured in the ancient tongue her mother had taught her. The purple aura around her began to condense into a tight mist, before taking the shape of a guitar. With a loud popping of displaced air, a plain purple guitar appeared in her lap. There was a floral pattern painted around the hole, which looked to be done in shades of silver and grey.</p><p>“It worked!” Raven cheered, running her hands down the strings. “What do you guys want to hear?” She asked, looking at the crowd. Sadly, she got no answer, as the entire crowd was captivated by the way her lavender eyes sparkled with happiness in the light.</p><p>“Why not play your favorite song, Princess?” One of the boys who helped her earlier asked.</p><p>“Okay!” Raven chirped and began to tune the instrument. “This is one my Mom used to sing to me each night, before she was sent away. Sorry if I’m not very good.”</p><p>“I’m sure you sound lovely, Raven,” Vil assured. Raven shrugged, before beginning to play.</p><p>“<em>Where the Northwind…meets the sea~.”</em> Raven’s voice was…<em>enchanting,</em> high and sweet and pure. “<em>There’s a river, full of memory. Sleep my darling, safe and sound. For in this river, all is found. When all is lost, all is found~.</em>” The whole dorm was silent, staring at the tiny angel whose voice seemed to come from heaven itself. As her song wound down, she seemed to come out of a trance. “<em>Where the north wind meets the sea, there’s a mother, full of memory. Come, my darling, homeward bound. Where all is lost, then all is found. All is found, all is found…</em>” Raven, who had kept her eyes closed as she sang, slowly opened her eyes.</p><p>“Raven, that was most wondrous!” Rook cheered, clapping wildly.</p><p>“Rook is quite right, dear. I simply must record you playing for my MagiCam sometime.”</p><p>“I will not lie to you; I have <em>no idea </em>what that is.” Raven giggled. “So, Vil said you guys had questions for me?” She set the guitar aside, folding her hands in her lap and smiling at the crowd.</p><p>“How did you get here?” A redhead asked.</p><p>“Ah, I was practicing my magic and got scared…something went wrong, and I wound up in the woods here. I was wandering for hours when I found the school, and Rook helped me to the nurse. After that, headmaster Crowley said…something about enrolling me? He had me sorted, and then called Epel here to escort me to the dorms. Honestly, it’s been an intense few hours!”</p><p>X0X0X</p><p>As Raven fielded questions, Epel kept a close eye on her. She was being nothing less than the epitome of polite, answering all the questions she was asked, but her shoulders were starting to slump.</p><p>“So, Princess, do you have a boyfriend?” One of the boys further back called. Raven suddenly went a deep red.</p><p>“Or a girlfriend?” One closer to the front added.</p><p>“No! The one guy I kinda like is…not interested in me. He would never be.” Raven smiled in a melancholy way.</p><p>“What? Dear, you’re <em>royalty</em>!” Vil gasped, clutching his throat like a lady of old England.</p><p>“I’m also the daughter of the Rebel leader, Vil, and he’s expected to be the next Prince Charming, as in the guy who marries Snow White. Not <em>exactly </em>an ideal relationship.” Raven sighed a bit. “Anyway, anyone else have questions?” Several hands shot into the air, making Raven giggle.</p><p>“Vil, hey!” Epel whispered, tugging on the taller boy’s sleeve a little. Vil raised an eyebrow at him, keeping his attention on their resident royal. “Raven looks pretty tired, and she’s had a long day. We need to make sure she gets her beauty sleep, right?” Vil tensed at the magic words.</p><p>“Alright, that’s plenty of questions for now! You can all get to know Raven later; she needs her sleep.” There was a collection of disappointed groans, but everyone slowly bid Raven goodnight, trickling out of the common room in clumps and batches.</p><p>“Thanks, Vil. I was starting to get pretty tired.”</p><p>“Of course, dear. You will, of course, be joining me for my evening skincare routine. I create my cosmetics and skincare products, so they’re top of the line. Epel, Rook, go make sure that Raven’s room is completely ready.” Both boys nodded and walked off, leaving Vil to lead Raven to his bathroom.</p><p>X0X0X</p><p>Vil eyed Raven as he gently scrubbed off his makeup. She was eyeing his array of skincare products with great interest, and yet there was a wary air about her. Going through the steps, he explained the ingredients of each product, along with their general purpose.</p><p>“-and this one contains apple extract; its purpose is to serve as a sunblock of kinds.”</p><p>“I…can’t use that one,” Raven muttered, burying her face behind a curtain of her hair.</p><p>“But Raven, you’re so pale! It cannot be safe for your skin to be out in the sun, exposed to the light.” Vil tutted, crossing his arms.</p><p>“It…it’s stupid, but I’m allergic to apples. Just the skin makes me go into anaphylactic shock, I can’t be anywhere near them. Like I said, stupid. Who’s ever heard of the evil queen not being able to handle apples?” Raven chuckled a bit, but Vil could see in her eyes that this deeply bothered her.</p><p>“Well, in the traditional tale, the one I was taught, the queen tried a myriad of ways to dispose of Snow White, like a cursed comb or an enchanted corset. Besides, you said you didn’t sign the book, so there’s no point in fretting.” Vil shrugged, handing Raven a face cloth. “If you can’t use that one,” Vil made a mental note to dispose of the bottle later. He was responsible for this sweet girl, accidentally sending her into shock would be terrible. “then try this. Cucumbers and pomegranate juice. Works wonders.” Yes, Vil was determined to protect this girl.</p><p>Once they had both cleaned their faces and applied a variety of things that Raven was very confused by (Vil had looked like a ghost when she said she usually just used soap and water to wash her face) Vil had asked her to wait in the hall while he checked his room for something. He stepped back out a moment later, holding a bundle of shimmery cloth in both hands. “I want you to have this, dear. It’s my back-up robe. We typically eat breakfast as a dorm in our pajamas, but it isn’t appropriate for a young lady, especially a princess, to be seen in her pajamas. Speaking of, do you have appropriate sleep clothes?”</p><p>“I can just change this into something, don’t worry!” Vil paused, before sighing.</p><p>“If you insist. Good night, Raven dear.”</p><p>“Good night, Vil!” Raven chirped, making an about-face and walking to her room, closing the door and leaning back against it with a sigh. Summoning her guitar had taken a lot out of her. It was a complicated spell normally, but with the odd barrier between here and Ever After, it had nearly knocked the wind out of her. Not to mention the endless <em>questions</em>, she honestly didn’t understand! She wasn’t <em>special</em>, she was a villain! Even Dad had been wary of her most of her life! Summoning the dregs of her magic with a sigh, Raven switched her transfigured dress into a comfortable set of sleep pants and a tank top in a shade of teal that made her <em>desperately</em> miss Maddie. Throwing the robe Vil had given her (it was lovely, a rich purple with gold patterning and a large gold sash) over the back of a chair, she slumped over to the bed and collapsed onto it, groaning at how soft it was. This had certainly been one hell of a day.</p><p>X0X0X</p><p>The knock at the door came far too early. Groaning, Raven dragged a pillow over her head and rolled over, effectively tangling herself in the comforter.</p><p>“Mademoiselle Raven, breakfast is ready!” Rook (he was the only one with a habit of speaking French, oddly enough) called through the door. “Vil also needs to escort you to the dorm leader meeting today, so you won’t have much time for breakfast.”</p><p>“Just two minutes and I’ll be out!” She called back, sitting up with a silent huff.</p><p>“Alright! Vil had me bring you a basket of shower things, I’ll leave it out here for you.”</p><p>“Thanks a million, Rook.” Raven slowly swung her legs over the edge of the bed, shivering when the cool floor came in contact with her feet. Thinking fast, she transfigured a random dust bunny she spotted from the corner of her eye into a pair of slippers that matched her pajamas. Grabbing the robe from the chair at the last second, Raven swung it over her shoulders, tying the sash as she made her way to the door. Upon opening the door, the first thing to catch her attention was the basket of bottles set on the floor. There were three bottles and a few washcloths, along with two large fluffy looking towels, a toothbrush in a sealed bag, and a container of toothpaste. On closer inspection, the bottles, which contained a pearlescent powder blue substance, were shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. Heaving a sigh of relief, Raven set the basket on the vanity and stepped into the hall, absent-mindedly wrangling her voluminous hair into a set of pigtails. Looking around the halls, she cautiously followed the source of the noises she could hear, voices and the clinking of dishware. After a few minutes of wandering, she found a large dining room filled with several circular tables, each filled with boys in pajamas. Along the furthest wall was a long table, loaded with foods of all kinds. Raven had barely set foot into the room when she heard Vil call for her.</p><p>“There you are, dear! Come sit down, we need to eat.” He was seated at a larger table in the middle of the room, with Epel on one side and an empty chair on the other. Raven slowly made her way over, conscious of all the eyes on her.</p><p>“Good morning, Raven.”</p><p>“Good morning, Epel!” Raven responded with a smile. Without Epel, she probably wouldn’t have gotten to go to bed till much later last night.</p><p>“I already got you a plate, so dig in,” Vil commanded. Raven complied, beaming at the selection in front of her. There was a strip of bacon, an omelet, and a small bowl of what was likely yogurt, topped with nuts. Honestly, it looked like a breakfast she would have at home, with Cook. Picking up her fork, Raven took a moment to observe those around her. Vil’s manners were impeccable, while Rook’s were decent, and Epel’s made her want to cringe a little. Despite being the next Evil Queen, she was still a princess, and had been given almost four years of etiquette lessons as a kid. From what she could see of other tables, it was a mixed bag.</p><p>“I can’t lie, I’m pretty happy to see a healthy breakfast. At Ever After High, it’s all sweet foods and pastries every morning. Most of us Rebel kids can’t stomach it, but the Royals love it, so we don’t ever get anything good.” Raven commented, cutting up her omelet into small pieces.</p><p>“Really? How odd, here every dorm takes a weekly poll on what to have for breakfast each week. Headmaster Crowley would never exclude an entire group of students like that.” Epel scoffed, wrinkling his nose.</p><p>“Indeed.” Vil sniffed. “I can’t imagine that’s very good for their skin, either. Ah well, you’re here now, Raven, and that’s all that matters.” Raven smiled a little. Yeah, this wasn’t so bad, not at all.</p><p>X0X0X</p><p>As soon as Raven finished eating, Vil shooed her off to get ready for the day, making Raven giggle. He may act vain, but the boy was rather maternal. Once she was back in her room, Raven quickly hopped in the shower, pleased to find that the shampoo and conditioner Vil gave her were not heavily scented, but instead smelled faintly of jasmine. After she had rinsed the last of the conditioner, Raven hopped out and spelled one of the towels to dry her hair as she brushed her teeth. For some reason, her magic was working far better here than it ever had back home. Not once had something gone wrong. It was odd, being able to rely on her magic. Shrugging it off as a problem for later, Raven spelled her clothes clean and transfigured them into the same clothes as yesterday, this time pulling her hair into a four-strand braid. Sliding her feet into her heels, Raven made her way back into her room proper right as someone knocked on the door.</p><p>“Just a second!” She called, trying not to glance at the mirror on the vanity out of the corner of her eye. She’d need to get something to cover that with. Raven opened the door to see Vil, wearing an odd layered outfit, waiting on her.</p><p>“You look lovely dear. Now, we barely have time to do your makeup, but I’m nothing if not capable under pressure.” Vil grabbed her shoulders and spun her about, guiding her over to the vanity. Raven sucked in a deep breath at seeing herself in the reflection. She <em>never</em> looked in mirrors if she could help it, especially for long periods. With the glamour out of her hair and no lipstick, she almost looked like her half-sister….</p><p>“Now, I’m thinking a natural look, we’ll leave your lips bare, but a touch of highlighter and blush will look lovely. Hold still, this won’t take five minutes.” Vil’s words snapped her from her thoughts, making her shake her head a little. With expert precision, Vil swiped a brush across the top of her cheekbones and along the bridge of her nose. After a few more swipes, he clicked the compact in his hand closed, smiling.</p><p>“I am too good. Alright, take a look and then let’s be off, it would be rude to be late.” Vil was so busy packing his things back into his purse that he didn’t notice the slight panic in Raven’s eyes when she realized that she needed to look in the mirror. Taking as quick a glance as possible, Raven stood and pushed the chair in.</p><p>“Ready when you are!” She chirped, folding her hands in front of herself.</p><p>“Alright then, let’s be off! I can say with certainty that the other dorm leaders will adore you.” Vil said, smoothing a few flyaway hairs out of Raven’s face.</p><p><em>I hope so…</em> Raven thought. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Round Table Strangers</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Raven followed Vil back through the garden out front, waving goodbye to Epel as Rook followed them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, Mademoiselle?” Rook asked, walking backwards besides her. “We are now close, correct?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Huh? Of course we are, is there something wrong?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well I must inquire, what is your family like?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My dad was always busy, running the kingdom and all that jazz, of course he is, he’s a king, I get that… but he’s also my dad! So sometimes, I just don’t understand why we don’t talk.” Raven sighed, they didn’t need to know that, she shook her head, getting back on track.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Like I already mentioned, my mum is locked in the mirror realm, its this pocket dimension linked to every mirror in Ever After. I talk with her, but not often, we’d have meetings once a month, maybe less.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then, I enrolled in Ever After High and we just stopped. I guess they didn’t want me starting a civil war…” Raven stared at the cloudless blue sky as they strolled. “Another one, anyway”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you have any friends?” Rook asked, spinning around to open a door for her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, thank you,” Raven paused, losing herself in thought. “Uh yeah, I did have one friend, Maddie. Her name’s actually Madeline Hatter, as you can guess, she’s the daughter of the Mad Hatter.” She would’ve liked it here. “Maddie’s absolutely wonderful. A bit, well- mad, but she was there for me, everyone else was sort of scared.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why would they be scared of you, dear? You’re not exactly intimidating.” Vil commented.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My magic is usually pretty wild and hard to control. I accidentally set my bedroom curtains on fire once when I was a kid.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rook huffed, “Interesting... Considering you are a descendant of the Beautiful Queen, by predisposition, you would have a larger pool of magic than most; it makes perfect sense that such an incident would occur.” Raven had to give him some credit, Rook was more intelligent than she initially thought.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I would not regard Rook as the type to be trusted, but his words make a point.” Vil thought for a moment, before snapping his fingers “Ah! I remember Vice Dorm Leader Lillia, spoke about an incident that occurred with Malleus when he was younger. Apparently, he burned off Lilia’s bangs”.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lilia? Malleus? Are they students?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rook quickly answered her, whispering in her ear, their full names were, Lilia Vanrouge and Malleus Draconia, the Vice Dorm Leader and the Head Dorm Leader respectively.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But,” Vil snapped his fingers, bringing the attention back to him. “You are already fourteen, at this point, most magicians grow past accidental misuse.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well yeah, I'm pretty sure I’ve got my magic under control.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They both seemed confused, “Then why would students be afraid of you?” Rook asked, “Mademoiselle, you are quite blessed, do you not try to prove that you are worthy of trust?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve tried, and all I think of is trying. But, I guess good magic wasn’t made for me. It just never works the way I want to.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Vil chuckled, looking at Raven, “There is a belief that there are types of good magic and a type of bad magic.” his gaze darkened, borderline angry. “But the only ones who believe in this “principle” are proven morons.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Down to the fundamentals; </span>
  <em>
    <span>There is no good or bad magic</span>
  </em>
  <span>, only intentions. Magic is part of you, it reflects what you yearn for, if your goal is good, your magic would assist you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They stopped, all the talking had passed the time, they had already arrived at one of the central buildings. “We will inform Headmaster Crowley about this, he is quite knowledgeable on magical oddities.” The trio were now walking deep into what seemed like a labyrinth of hallways. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rook spun around to face Raven, “Do not fret, these findings should not hinder your learning. Continue using your magic, your potential reaches beyond the horizon.” His hands gripped the blazer, shaking, “An A-grade hunter lurks beneath the horizon, when the sun breaks, Twisted Wonderland shall know a true predator!” Rook leaped ahead of them, seemingly in his own world.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just follow him, he knows where we need to be.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Raven felt as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders, yet at the same time, more food had been shovelled on her plate.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, I noticed that the other night. I was a little more tired than usual after summoning my guitar, but I actually haven’t had any issues since I got here.” Raven pondered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Again, something to mention to Headmaster Crowley later. For now, we have arrived. Tidy yourself up, hold yourself high Miss Raven.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Vil stood tall, opening the door in front of them. Raven paused for a second in the doorway, nervous. So far, everyone has been so nice to her. She really didn’t know anything about these people! Her nerves were getting the better of her, breathe in, out, and looked ahead.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Vil set a hand on her shoulder. Raven flashed him an appreciative smile, before stepping into the room.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kalim was </span>
  <em>
    <span>bored</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and that was never good. He had been whining non-stop for ten minutes straight about it, going from wanting a game of UNO to spouting about how he would throw a party dedicated to an elephant giving birth, anything opposed to being stuck in some meeting. And just when Jamill was about to lose it. Low and behold, the door was swung open, revealing the fashionably late Vil, head of Pomefiore. He wasn’t alone, his Vice had already arrived ahead of him but there was another. A small figure inhaled sharply from behind him, some raised their heads at the sound; it was high-pitched and feminine and </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> Epel.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He muttered something to the </span>
  <em>
    <span>girl</span>
  </em>
  <span>, before guiding her into the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The neon blue tablet sitting next to Vice Dorm Leader Ortho gave a short ping.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, it is a little confusing” The android whispered, his eyes glowing as a response pinged back. The girl gave a questioning glance towards Ortho as she sat between Vil and Rook, she must be a new student here? Her black dress hinted at it, accented in purple and topped with gold jewelry, just like the Night Raven uniform.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This certainly explained the extra chair. Vil and Rook took up the two next to her, flanking as if guarding her. Silence fell on the room, Trey cleared his throat whatever he was going to say was cut off. The door flew open, banging into the wall and ricocheting back closed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Excellent, you’re all here!” The Headmaster smiled, sweeping to the head of the table. “As you can all see, we have a new transfer. Her royal highness, would you be so quaint to introduce yourself.” Jamil paused. The Headmaster never even referred to </span>
  <em>
    <span>Kalim </span>
  </em>
  <span>by his title,</span>
  <em>
    <span> (not Malleus or Leona either)</span>
  </em>
  <span>, only as ‘Mister Al-Asim’. Who was this girl?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um, hello! My name is Raven Queen, daughter of the Evil Queen. I previously attended Ever After High in the White Kingdom. It’s nice to meet you all!” The girl smiled, and god, she was </span>
  <em>
    <span>adorable</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>“Pardon me, daughter of the Evil Queen?” the boy asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yup! My mother’s line is descended from the person you guys call the Beautiful Queen, but perceptions of her actions are pretty different where I’m from, hence the different names.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“In that case, allow me to intro-” The boy, who had begun to bow, was cut off by another student, he had with white hair wrapped in a white and gold turban.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That makes you a princess! </span>
  <em>
    <span>And </span>
  </em>
  <span>you’re a new student! We can have a party! You know, I was just talking about that; you’ll be the guest of honor! There will be music and dancing, and Jamil makes the most fantastic curry buns!” He was bouncing in his seat, eyes shining.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Raven can not be seen at such an event!” Vil snapped, slamming his hands on the table.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You two are breaking rule eighty two, no shouting during meetings!” A short boy with the vibrant red hair cried. “Off with your-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Another, dressed with a vest of green and his jacket hung from the shoulders, gave a low chuckle, “Such misfits, ah… it brings memories of- wait where is he”.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well I suppose we’re done here.” The taller of two yellow-vested boys stood up, lion-like ears flicking in dismay, the other boy he was with giggled ecstatically, his ears resembled a hyena.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um, Rook?” Raven asked, tugging gently on his sleeve. He glanced at her, raising an eyebrow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Would they notice if we, I dunno, left? It’s so loud.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Now that Rook looked, Raven’s pupils were dilated, and she kept rubbing the corner of her sleeve in circular motions with her thumb and index finger. Her breathing was getting shallow, and she kept looking at everyone in the room as if they were a potential threat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course, Mademoiselle. We can wait in the hall. The Headmaster had your schedule dropped off at the dorm this morning, I was carrying it since Vil’s outfit doesn’t have pockets today. Let’s go.” Setting a grounding hand on her shoulder, Rook slowly escorted Raven out to the hall, having her press her back against the wall. Not a single dorm leader noticed the door clicking shut behind them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who forgot to invite Malleus-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Would you like to look over your schedule?” Rook asked, and Raven paused before nodding. Rook pulled a piece of folded paper from his back pocket and unfolded it, glancing it over a few times. “Hmm, it looks like you have the same schedule as Epel! That means you won’t have to worry about getting lost at least. You’ll be with a different dorm for each class, but no one should bother you too much. Here, I can show you to the first class you have today. You have Magic History with Mister Trein first, that would be over there. I’ll text Vil on the way that we started getting you to class. I hope you enjoy it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I guess. I hope it won’t be like Ever After, it divided classes between heroes and villains. And of course, I was in all villain classes. I didn’t even get to take Muse-ic, I was stuck with stuff like ‘General Villainy’ and ‘History of Evil Spells’ and ‘Kingdom Mis-management’. My least favourite was ‘Spells, Hexes, and General Witchery’. It was all super boring.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, wait, you- you are still guaranteed to have your mum’s destiny anyway? You could just be some extra in a village, right?” Rook asked, staring at the sky.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Legacies are passed down through families, royalty remains royalty, and villains remain villains.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Meaning that you can not obtain your father’s destiny?” Rook asked, and Raven looked rather conflicted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tradition, I guess. The role of the Good King </span>
  <em>
    <span>always </span>
  </em>
  <span>goes to the previous Snow’s Prince Charming. If I sign the book, as soon as I turn eighteen, the story begins. I get married to Apple’s – the next snow white – Dad. Technically he’s my brother in law and Apple is my niece, since Snow White is my half-sister. It’s a huge mess, really.” Raven sighed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can only imagine. This is your classroom, just keep your head down for now, Mister Trein is super strict. I must be off to class as well. You are ahead of time, so you get to pick your seat. Good fortune!” Rook patted her on the head as he walked off. Raven took a deep breath and opened the door, peaking in. It looked like a typical classroom, rows of plain desks and a blackboard up front. The only odd thing was the massive, elaborate cat tree in the corner. Sprawled out in the middle of the five levels was a </span>
  <em>
    <span>massive</span>
  </em>
  <span> black cat, with a white patch on his chest and a white muzzle. Making her way to the front of the classroom, Raven held out a hand and walked slowly towards the feline.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey there, little one. You are just </span>
  <em>
    <span>adorable</span>
  </em>
  <span>, look at you!” She cooed, letting the beast of a cat sniff her hand for a moment. Pausing when her finger twitched, the cat glared at her balefully for a moment, before headbutting her hand with a faint mewl. Chuckling, Raven slowly brought her hand up to scratch the space between the cat’s ears. “Do you mind if I check your collar, kitty kitty?” Raven asked, slowly reaching for the animal’s neck. When the creature made no move away, she gently parted the thick fur on the cat’s chest, finding a golden charm, engraved with a name and what looked like a phone number. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lucius, huh? A very handsome name for a </span>
  <em>
    <span>very</span>
  </em>
  <span> handsome cat.” Raven giggled, gently sliding one hand under the cat, who just arched his back, making it easier for her to scoop him into her arms. Soon, she had Lucius stretched out in her arms, with his head pressing into her shoulder. Raven hummed a bit as she sat on the edge of one of the front desks, scratching the one spot that she knew made all cats (Kitty Cheshire included) go weak, the back base of his ear.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>And who must you be</span>
  </em>
  <span>?” A cold voice snapped, making Raven tense a little. Lucius, as if sensing her fear, began to let out a deep, rumbling purr. Turning her head so as not to disturb the cat in her arms, Raven saw a rather severe looking man with graying dark hair standing in the doorway. He wore a plain black suit under a red over robe, and had a turquoise broach at his throat. “I asked you a </span>
  <em>
    <span>question, </span>
  </em>
  <span>child. You will answer me!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My name is Raven Queen, I’m a new transfer from Ever After High.” Raven answered, stumbling on her words.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And </span>
  <em>
    <span>how </span>
  </em>
  <span>did you get in without a teacher here?” He asked, tapping his foot.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um, the- the door was unlocked, sir. Is Lucius your cat? He’s very sweet.” Raven managed to get out, giggling when Lucius rubbed his cheek along the underside of her chin, still purring.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Indeed he is, I had his mother and grandmother as well. He certainly seems to like you.” The man seemed a bit confused, but made his way to the front of the room, settling behind the large oak desk there.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, he really does. It’s odd, not many animals like me, because of my heritage. I don’t even get the princess effect.” Raven frowned a bit, slowly stroking Lucius’ soft fur.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Truly? I am somewhat familiar with said effect, from my studies of history. Even with your family’s lineage, you still ought to be able to summon at least a dove.” The man raised an eyebrow, leaning back in his seat. “I would be most interested in hearing the recent history of Ever After, seeing as all books here in Twisted Wonderland predate the split of our realms.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’d really like that, I always enjoyed history.” Raven smiled a little, looking down when Lucius meowed. “Oh! Did you want down?” The feline blinked at her slowly, and Raven stood, before crouching and setting him on his paws. “Thanks for letting me pet you, you’re such a lovely kitty.” She chirped, stroking him a few times more. Lucius merely licked her hand once, before turning about with his tail in the air and stalking away, climbing to the top of his tower.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Raven! Rook said he took you here early, but I was worried.” A voice called from the doorway, and Raven turned around to see Epel standing in the doorway with several other Pomefiore first years.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh! Hey, Epel! Yeah, I had to go to some meeting with the other dorms this morning. It was really chaotic.” Raven sighed. It honestly had reminded her of when the Rebels and Royals would argue.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not shocked. Here, sit with me. We can all keep you from being bugged by other dorms. I doubt their dorm leaders have explained things to them. Are you okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Huh? I’m fine. Have you got a chance to pet Lucius? He’s very soft, and his purring is super cute.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lucius? As in…the demon cat Lucius, the black and white one right?!” One of the other Pomefiore students whispered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I guess? I just was patient and talked to him. Like I said, his fur is really soft.” The other students gaped at her, pencils dropping to the floor it was like she said that dragons were vegetarians. The door opened, and in came a rush of boys, wearing deep red vests with badges in various places, all displaying a heart split in half, with one side red and the other black. Each of them also had a white rose dripping with red paint tucked into their lapel. Raven had a pretty strong hunch as to who their founder was. They all rushed to their seats, only to pause when they saw her. A boy with orange hair came bounding over, a cheerful smile on his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hello hello! My name is Ace Trappola! And you would be?” He had a large heart-shaped mark over his left eye that reminded her of Lizzy Hearts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um, my name is Raven Queen. It’s nice to meet you Ace?!” Raven offered a hand, only to let out a shocker ‘eep’ when the boy pressed a kiss to the back of her hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ace is A-okay, no need for formalities. It’s lovely to meet you!” He said, smiling. “How did a lovely girl like you wind up at Night Raven?” Raven was blushing furiously at this point, and Epel was glaring hard at the boy</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It –” Raven’s voice was high and squeaky, and she paused to clear her throat. “It’s nice to meet you too. I honestly wound up here on accident. Magic gone wrong.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I can easily say that it was a good thing that happened!” Ace said, smiling.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mister Trappola, take your seat.” Mister Trein drawled, shutting the door. “Now, everyone open your books to page eighty four.” Epel, who had taken the desk besides her, scooted his desk over so that she could see his book. Flashing him a grateful smile, Raven focused on the words. People never really change, students are just as wild. No matter the realm.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>PLEASE COMMENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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